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Pride, Warnings and Forgiveness

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you (Romans 12:3b, NIV).

Friend To FriendA famous explorer in South America was once forced to abandon his journey by an almost invisible enemy. He was equipped to meet leopards, serpents and crocodiles. They proved to be no threat, but what he had failed to consider were the tiny insects called chiggers. They are so tiny that in North America we call them the "no see-ums." Someone composed this poem about these tiny invaders:

Here's to the chigger, the bug that's no bigger

Than the end of a very small pin;

But the itch that he raises simply amazes,

And that's where the rub comes in!

Pride and chiggers have a lot in common. Pride comes in little ways, unseen actions, subtle thoughts or inconspicuous comments. Unguarded attitudes and random thoughts are prime breeding grounds for pride. We must take charge of those thoughts, discipline our attitudes, training our thinking processes to give up and obey God.

Pride loves to take up residence in an undisciplined thought life, changing the setting and dictating attitudes with little or no resistance. When Paul encouraged the believers in Rome to cultivate “sober judgment,” he was warning them to take charge of the mind, refusing to allow the entrance of any thoughts that would entertain pride. A disciplined thought life is the very foundation of a victorious journey with God.

I have heard it said that the bigger a man’s head gets, the easier it is to fill his shoes. It is not wrong for Christians to recognize and even applaud gifts in our own lives and in the lives of others as long as we remember that spiritual gifts are ours to manage, not to own. Pride draws attention to those God given gifts and tempts us to take credit for their existence and the way in which they are used.

Many of us attempt to find worth and identity in what we do – not in who we are. As a result, our actions are intended to draw the attention of anyone and everyone in a vain effort to establish self-worth. There may be people in your life who are difficult to love. Our responsibility is to love and accept these difficult people without insisting they change or counting on them to change. In order to do that, we must choose grace and humility over pride and censure. Pride vanishes beneath the loving gaze of our Father who simply longs for each one of us to see ourselves through His eyes – no more and no less.

The frontline of battle against pride is in the mind. We must “take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5, NASB). To take something captive is a military tactic that we must use to guard against pride. It sometimes seems as if pride can actually crawl into my mind and grab hold of any undisciplined thoughts floating around. Pride then flings those random thoughts into my heart as an attitude laced with burning arrogance and prideful perception of who I am in comparison to others.

We can change our lives by changing how we think. We can dictate the attitudes of our heart by fixing our thoughts on God and His truth. The result is peace, which stands against pride, electing humility instead. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you” (Isaiah 26:3).

What does it mean to “fix” our thoughts? Webster’s Dictionary defines “fixed” as “rigid, solid or firm.” We must learn to fix our thoughts on the truth of God’s word. We need to be rigid in controlling our thought processes, holding firm to God’s standard for the mind. The result will be a stable way of thinking and living. To prevent pride requires a choice to take charge of our mind.

I once dated a young man I thought was “the one.” For some reason, my mother did not like him. Knowing her daughter well, my mother said nothing but I am sure she was on her knees pleading with God to take that young man out of my life. He did. We eventually broke up and my mother finally spilled the beans, explaining why she had a problem with this young man. “If I could buy him for what he’s worth and sell him for what he thinks he is worth, I would be a millionaire!” Mama did have a way with words. She was so right! Today, that man is out of ministry, divorced and living a life that is unpleasing to God. His pride robbed him of the best God had for him. Don’t let that happen to you, girlfriend. Run from anyone or anything that promotes a prideful attitude. Eliminate the strongholds of pride in your life. Nail your ego to the cross and declare it powerless. Celebrate the trophy of grace you are in God.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank You for the grace You give. Thank You that grace covers all my sin with unconditional love and forgiveness. Help me to walk in that grace, turning away from pride and arrogance. Give me a humble spirit that draws others to You. Help me to see myself through Your eyes and then live out what I see. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

One of my favorite quiet time exercises is to create an acrostic using one word from the passage of Scripture I have read that day, pinpointing and explaining the main truth in the Scripture. Try it! Let me help you get started.

P. Pompous mindset

R. rejected

I. I sentence my ego to

D. death

E. Eliminating pride

More From The Girlfriends

Pride is an ugly thing, isn’t it? I have come to realize that I must daily nail my old self to the cross and count it dead if pride is to be defeated in my life. What does that mean? We must constantly choose others first, refusing to enthrone self in any circumstance. Ouch! It is so easy to promote me instead of others but I am determined to do so. How about you?

Need help? Get Mary’s CD - Divine Surprises: 7 Habits of a Successful Woman. Be sure to check out Mary’s new weekly Online Bible Study beginning July 18: Stress Management 101. Enroll now and have access to all 2011 lessons.

“Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” Romans 4:7

The third thing you should check in your life, if indeed you are in the pits, is to make sure you have obeyed God's warnings.

God does warn us, but we must listen to those warnings. As Job 33:14-18 says,

For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

God always tries to warn us to keep us out of the pits and to keep our lives from danger. And He speaks in many different ways. Sometimes, as we read here, God will speak to us even through a dream.

As I look at my own life, I can see that I have fallen into pits at various times because I did not listen to God's warnings. There have been times I have been too busy to perceive the fact that God was talking to me. It wasn't that God wasn't warning me. He was. I just had a bunch of other things going on in my life and was not taking time to listen to Him.

He is always faithful to warn us. It's just that we are not always faithful to listen. So if you find yourself in a pit today because you did not heed God's warning, just say, "God, I'm sorry." Repent. God will forgive you. And you will be in the position to receive His deliverance.

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God

The Forgiveness of the King

Pastor Adrian Rogers

There was a king who asked slaves on a ship, “Why are you in chains?” One replied, “I don’t know. I was in a crowd when a crime was committed. I am innocent.” He asked another who said, “I am not guilty, but am a victim of false witnesses.” The king proceeded to ask each man the same question and each had a reason why he was innocent. That is, until one man responded, “I am here because I deserve to be here. I have sinned against my God and against my king. And now I am paying the penalty.”

The king stepped back and said, “What are you doing here among so many honest men? Guards, release him!”

Not until we admit our sin are we going to know the mercy and the forgiveness of the King. Bow before Him today and admit you are lost without Him.

For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.

Flesh and Blood

Pastor Andy Stanley

North Point Community Church

Jesus came and said to them,

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

Matthew 28:18

If you accept the authority of Jesus in your life,

then you accept the authority of His words.

Colin Urquhart

At his ascension our Lord entered heaven,

and he keeps the door open for humanity to enter.

Oswald Chambers

The ascension of Christ is his liberation from all restriction of time and space.

Add To Your Faith

The fruit of the Spirit is . . . FAITHFULLNESS.

It is Well With My Soul

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Jesus, The Great I Am

There is no power in hell or any who can stand before the power and presence of the Great I Am.

THE GOLDEN RULE

The only thing you should owe to anyone is LOVE for one another, for to LOVE the other person is to fulfill the law. Romans 13:8

A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine,

but a downcast spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Renewing Your Mind

Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Trust & Obey

...."Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones".... Proverbs 3:5-8 NASB

2 Corinthians 5:15

...."and He died for all, so that they who live might NO longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf"

Book of Common Prayer

"From envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, Good Lord, deliver us."

Trust In The Lord

Rejoice and give thanks in ALL circurmstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Can Prayer Really Change Things?

Our beliefs about the efficacy of prayer are closely related to our faith. If you don't believe that God can change the world, you're unlikely to see it, even if it happens right in front of your eyes. God sometimes shakes up our lives to open our eyes, to increase our trust & faith in him--and help us see prayer's effectiveness...

Prayer Request

Heavenly Father teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart. Psalm 90:12 Would you help by praying for those who leave comments and prayer requests?

Always Follow the 10 Commandments

But we have this TREASURE in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Salvation Lessons From The Thief On The Cross

There were seven truths that the repentant thief understood. Studying these truths is important since they are the same realities that all must embrace in order to gain peace with their Creator...

True, Honest, Just, Pure...

Think on these things.

Perilous Times Shall Come

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. 2 Timothy 3:1-2